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How Much Pot Is Too Much Pot?

Marijuana is generally thought of as a soft drug. It is perceived as less harmful than alcohol. But, like anything from a glass of wine to doughnuts, it is possible to overindulge. So, how much pot is too much pot?

Are you smoking too much when you can't get out of bed to go to class? Are you smoking too much when you light up daily but are still getting straight A"s? How do you know when you are smoking too much pot?

There is no easy answer to this question. "Too much pot" will vary from individual to individual. Ryan can light up and study physics every night. Sarah gets the munchies, over eats, and falls asleep. The amount and type of pot will affect different people differently.

recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home

recurrent use in situations that are physically harmful, like driving a car

recurrent substance-related legal problems

continued substance abuse despite recurrent social or interpersonal problems exacerbated by the effects.

In other words, Cannabis Abuse is considered a mental disorder when it impairs social or occupational functioning. In a teenager or college student, this usually takes the form of poor school performance, change of friends, and/or conflict with the law. For example, if a student is unable to get out of bed and go to class and her grades drop, then she is smoking too much pot. If a man is breaking the law by growing and selling to buy pot, then he is smoking too much. Simply put, when marijuana is interfering with daily life it is too much.

I agree with the statement that "when marijuana is interfering with daily life it is too much." That being said, "interfering" is very subjective. Maybe Sarah isn't bothered by overeating and falling asleep? Everyone needs to eat and sleep. Is Sarah overweight?

Also, diagnosing Cannabis Abuse uses "substance abuse" as one of the criteria. This seems somewhat of a circular argument.

Hi, Anonymous,
Thanks for the careful reading of my blog and your reply. Yes, I think that is the point that "interfering" is very subjective. Also, diagnosing Cannabis Abuse in terms of "substance abuse" is circular. The DSM is far from perfect. Myself, I thought it was bizarre that there are 8 Cannabis disorders. If someone is in therapy or seeing a counselor due to marijuana, then I think it is a problem.

I am not familiar with the DSM, but how does a therapist determine between eight different possible diagnoses?

Also, if interference in daily life is subjective, then it follows that what may be abuse for one person may not be abuse for another. Do you agree? If so, then a "one size fits all" criteria for what constitutes substance abuse, such as the DSM, may not be a very good tool for evaluating whether a person is a substance abuser.

I am not familiar with the DSM, but how does a therapist determine between eight different possible diagnoses?

Also, if interference in daily life is subjective, then it follows that what may be abuse for one person may not be abuse for another. Do you agree? If so, then a "one size fits all" criteria for what constitutes substance abuse, such as the DSM, may not be a very good tool for evaluating whether a person is a substance abuser.

Dear Regular Smoker,
Thank you for your reply and reading my post. You ask difficult and complex questions which are even harder for me to answer since I am in Alaska on a borrowed computer. Yes, 8 different diagnoses are difficult to differentiate between. But some have symptoms of anxiety and others have different symptoms. In theory, the diagnosis should be helpful for treatment. In practice, it is often used for billing purposes.

All mental health issues are highly subjective. For some disorders, it would be possible to go 5 different therapists and get 5 different diagnoses. On top of this, there are fads in diagnoses. Like bipolar was popular and manic depressive. In my book, I said, psychology is part science, part religion, and the practice of it an art.

What is the name and topic of your book? What do you mean by psychology is part religion? The science and art part I understand.

I also responded (as anonymous) to your question whether marijuana is harmful or a "gateway drug." (I should correct a statement there that I have tried mushrooms once after using marijuana, but I still don't consider it a gateway drug).

After reading your first post regarding drug use by teenagers, I now understand that you're not a "Timothy Leary-esque" psychologist. I am neither a teenager nor a parent, but still an interesting topic.

Hi, Regular Smoker,
My book is titled Adolescent Assessment. Check it out on Amazon. Let's see...by part religion, I mean there are quite a lot of people believing in and practicing psychology as if it were their faith, without questioning, asking for data, evidence, etc. There is a lot we don't know about ourselves. Take for example, love, how do you quantify and measure it? But just because I can't measure it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

No, I am not a Timothy Leary type. I am actually pretty conservative but I am aware teens are going to experiment and I think parents should be aware and knowledgeable and not overreact and damage their relationship with their kids. I am planning more posts on other substances, including alcohol but I am currently on vacation.
Bye,
Jann

Your comment stating "parents should be aware and knowledgeable and not overreacting and damaging their relationships with their kids" is something I am presently going thru now with my 18-year-old son. I knew he was getting high for 1-1/2 years. He knew I did not approve of this, however, our relationship was still positive. However, he failed out of college his first semester and his personality is no longer light, airy, wityy, and happy. I would say he is currently in a crisis. Marijuana can be extremely detrimental to a teenager. Don't kid yourselves!

Now this sounds familiar to me, except I would have been on the other side.

I was a bit older than your son when i started smoking pot, and for the most part it started out the same. My dad didn't approve, but our relationship never really changed because of it, at least not until i started university.

Predictably I did very well In my first session because I was highly motivated etc, second session I got no HD's but I did well. Third session I dropped out of my units because I was burnt out and depressed. This is the point where everything changed, because my father recognized my depression, which is a pretty natural thing to occur shortly after starting university or a big job etc, as a symptom of marijuana abuse. And then our relationship plummeted reeeaaaal quickly, and i actually developed a substance abuse problem trying to escape from that fact by just getting really high all day.

Bottom line ISN'T that you shouldn't be wary of his mental state and the effects that substance use is having on it, but it IS that as a parent, you're interactions with him could have an even greater effect on his mental state than the substance itself, and the breakdown of a longstanding relationship is completely traumatic. So as the article states, overreacting as a parent can be hugely damaging, and you have to watch out for it.

Your comment is ridiculous. "Interfering is subjective." And it doesn't take a genius to realize everyone needs to sleep and eat. When did you learn that one, smart one? Ok... Sarah isn't bothered by overeating and falling asleep... The point the author is trying to make is that overeating and falling asleep is interfering with Sarah's life. The overeating and falling asleep is affecting her grades because she can't study at night. It has nothing to do with what Sarah's bothered by, or whatever point your trying to make. And what does being overweight have anything to do with this, honestly. Yes, Sarah is morbidly obese. No wait, she is anorexic and weighs 94 pounds. Does it matter? Weight is not the issue, pot is the issue that the author is trying to address.

So you think my comment that "interfering is subjective" is ridiculous? Your opinion is subjective, but I'll bite. What objective (not subjective) standard are you using to determine the proper amount of marijuana used before it interferes in daily life? And don't say none because that's too easy. (Besides the fact it simply isn't true). So how much? Does it depend on the age, size, or weight of the person? I'm really curious what objective standard you are using to gauge how much pot is too much pot for everyone.

Where in the article does it say Sarah's overeating and falling asleep is interfering in her daily life? Where does it say Sarah can't study at night? It may be that the author wants you to infer that, but the point is what the author thinks is interference may not be so to "Sarah." You may very well determine that smoking one bowl a night makes you cranky, fat, and stupid and therefore, interfering with what you want to accomplish in life. That's fine. By the same token, for example, a totally different person may not have the same weight gain or ill-temper from smoking a bowl. And that, my friend, is what subjectivity is all about.

If Sarah is distressed because of the above and she thinks it is because of her pot smoking, then yes, she is smoking too much for her. In my opinion, it doesn't have to be directly attributed, it's enough that she thinks it is.

Unfortunately, the slippery slope is when all of the above is happening and she isn't distressed because she's having too much fun having too much pot. Or she is distressed, but finding in cuttinit difficult to cut back or stop.

I'm not suggesting that pot is harmless for all. But I still believe it is less harmful than alcohol. Nobody ever died from overdosing on pot, but college students across the nation have died from alcohol poisoning. R.S.

If Sarah is distressed because of the above and she thinks it is because of her pot smoking, then yes, she is smoking too much for her. In my opinion, it doesn't have to be directly attributed, it's enough that she thinks it is.

Unfortunately, the slippery slope is when all of the above is happening and she isn't distressed because she's having too much fun having too much pot. Or she is distressed, but finding in cuttinit difficult to cut back or stop.

I'm not suggesting that pot is harmless for all. But I still believe it is less harmful than alcohol. Nobody ever died from overdosing on pot, but college students across the nation have died from alcohol poisoning. R.S.

If Sarah is distressed because of the above and she thinks it is because of her pot smoking, then yes, she is smoking too much for her. In my opinion, it doesn't have to be directly attributed, it's enough that she thinks it is.

Unfortunately, the slippery slope is when all of the above is happening and she isn't distressed because she's having too much fun having too much pot. Or she is distressed, but finding in cuttinit difficult to cut back or stop.

I'm not suggesting that pot is harmless for all. But I still believe it is less harmful than alcohol. Nobody ever died from overdosing on pot, but college students across the nation have died from alcohol poisoning. R.S.

If Sarah is distressed because of the above and she thinks it is because of her pot smoking, then yes, she is smoking too much for her. In my opinion, it doesn't have to be directly attributed, it's enough that she thinks it is.

Unfortunately, the slippery slope is when all of the above is happening and she isn't distressed because she's having too much fun having too much pot. Or she is distressed, but finding in cuttinit difficult to cut back or stop.

I'm not suggesting that pot is harmless for all. But I still believe it is less harmful than alcohol. Nobody ever died from overdosing on pot, but college students across the nation have died from alcohol poisoning. R.S.

Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment, "intelligent and rational." I am interested in honest discourse and trust. If adults are not honest, then we lose the trust of teens. To simply say all drugs are bad is an oversimplification. And some are very beneficial when used appropriately to treat medical conditions, by a doctor in prescribed amounts.

The problems generally arise from the consequences of excessive use of subtances. When drugs are used by a shaman for a religious experience, there is always a trusted and experienced guide. NO ONE SHOULD EVER EXPERIMENT ALONE, WITH UNFAMILIAR SUBSTANCES OR WITH SOMEONE THEY DON'T TURST.
Jann

Good advice about never experimenting alone and if you don't know or trust the person offering you a substance, pass.

Any new toker should know that some people like to spike pot with other substances, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or PCP. These drugs are really nasty and potentially, deadly. So if someone passes a joint or a pipe to you, don't assume it only contains pot.

Dear Regular,
Thank you. This is very helpful. I am a little concerned about consistent "quality" from the medical marijuana dispensaries. How do you know if you are getting good stuff or stuff treated with pesticides, etc?
Jann

Every small dose of marijuana is enough, I wouldn't dare to think otherwise. Marijuana smokers are a marvelous way of lieing to themselves because on a long terms smoking every dose of marijuana is harmful.
Dave, Vistabay rehab

Every small dose of marijuana is enough, I wouldn't dare to think otherwise. Marijuana smokers are a marvelous way of lieing to themselves because on a long terms smoking every dose of marijuana is harmful.
Dave, Vistabay rehab

there is absolutely no data published that proves that marijuana has negative longterm effects on any part of the body, in either animals or humans (animals technically don't have cannibus receptors in their brains) or even hinting at it. Your comment on this is an example of a non-informed individual brainwashed into grouping all illegal drugs into the same category.

With that being said, I'm not an advocate for legalizing the drug,but only because of the sociological repercussions of allowing todays youth to become psychologically addicted to it. I'm not going to feed bullshit to people claiming that getting super high has any longterm differences on one's health versus smoking a little, or none at all for that matter. The issue at hand is to help people realize that frequent use can change their performance and typical behavior.

I'm in my third year of college right now, and i go through phases of smoking 5 or 6 times a week to going sober for months at a time. What i can tell you is that although pot is not dangerous at all long term health wise (as far as we know,) there are negative effects that can change your performance for a few days to weeks after your last smoking session (depending on how frequently you smoked.)

Now the one thing thats very important if you intend to smoke on a regular basis, is to constantly be aware of how its affecting you as you perform your daily tasks. The first thing you will likely notice is the difference in short term memory loss, forgetting where you left your keys twice a day may seem like a minor problem, and one you might be able to compromise having if you intend to continue smoking. However, if you find it difficult to remember things that begin to affect those around you, i would seriously consider either cutting back or cycling off the pot.

Another issue with many pot smokers, is the above mentioned 'sarah' case. Yes, there are few things more fun than smoking, eating a pizza and passing out, but a major problem with being high is the lack of self control you have over doing things you should probably be doing. If you're super high, have a paper due tomorrow, its very likely that you'll be too hungry to concentrate, and after that, too burnt out. Be aware of this, if this is going to be a problem, eat before you smoke, and buy an energy drink. Some individuals might not have a problem with this because they are very strong willed, but i make it a habit to only smoke after my responsibilities are finished for the day, if not, then i'll only take a hit or two.

My point here is to not fall down the before mentioned "slippery slope" where one doesn't even pay attention to the psychological addiction they might be developing, and the repercussions it is having on their ability to perform as an active individual.

Regarding people mixing other drugs with their pot, i would like to say that individuals who typically do that belong to a different drug-using demographic than your typical 'stoner.' And i would strongly advise against doing that. It can be quite terrible for one's health.

A sociological theory i have with pot and it being considered a 'gateway drug' is that both pot and other illegal drugs are typically considered socially unacceptable, and because of this, are typically grouped together. If marijuana was commonly used, and alcohol only illegally, and socially unacceptable and not so greatly part of our culture, it would be alcohol considered the gateway drug.

Everything I read here is based on pure speculation and I have not seen any hard science backed data. Psych's invent these disorders then assign them to give the illusion they are real. That's all this is, pure 100% bullshit.

As a young teen is it nice to see adults talking about cannabis honestly. Before reading this i had just bought a little cannabis to try, but have decided to not smoke it and w8 a few years till i feel a little better informed on the subject. i have realized the reason i am tempted to do it is because of all the lies i have been told about it and that intern has made me want to find out the truth myself. a little honnist can go a long way with subjects like this if your kids are smoking or asking about it i urge anyone reading 2 do a little research and talk to the kids about the facts. if your giving ur son/daughter a glass of wine or know they smoke tobbaco then you should not worry about cannabis.